


Tied to You

by Swanny_Writer



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crack, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Ghost!Junnie, Human!Wonwoo, Implied Sexual Content, Jeon Wonwoo Is a Tease, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Wen Jun Hui | Jun is a Sweetheart, bc that is law of wonhuiland, junnie is a ghost but wonhui still get a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:13:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22703755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swanny_Writer/pseuds/Swanny_Writer
Summary: Jun is a ghost who sustains himself by scaring people. Wonwoo is not afraid of ghosts.(or the one where wonhui are roommates, and junnie just wants to eat, but wonu is a tease).
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Comments: 51
Kudos: 362





	Tied to You

**Author's Note:**

> ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡ Happy Valentines! Happy Carat Day! Wooooo!!! ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)
> 
> In the spirit (ha! get it? bc jun's a ghost? ha ha ha... i'll shut up) of the day of loooooove, i humbly offer you this silly (but hopefully cute) fic. it's literally just crack disguised as fluff. but there's WONHUI TRUE LOVE as usual, so there's that 😆
> 
> i was inspired by this ADORABLE story called "Please, Respect the Occupation 'Evil Spirit'" which has been translated and posted [here.](https://thepotatoroom.com/novels/please-respect-the-occupation-evil-spirit/evil-spirit-chapter-1/) Pls check it out! it's pretty short, but ughhgh my heart melted and i laughed a lot. i basically took the premise and fleshed it out with wonhui. it's very silly 😂
> 
> Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful Carat Day! Enjoy~
> 
> WARNING: mentions of blood and gore (not graphic, but jun pretends to be dead lol)
> 
> -

Bored and weak from hunger, Junhui folds his hands over his stomach and lets himself float along the ceiling of the one-bedroom apartment. He closes his eyes and pretends that he is in a large and cool lake, with warm sunshine caressing his skin. When he bumps against a wall and bounces away several inches, he furrows his brows and imagines that he has encountered a log in the lake.

Unfortunately, the mental exercise only works for a few minutes before his hunger ruins the illusion. Junhui sighs. He opens his eyes and continues to float in space, occasionally colliding with a wall and getting sent spinning in the other direction. Life as a ghost is tough, he muses, then stifles a small giggle at the irony.

Junhui doesn’t have many memories—or actually, any at all—about his life. For as long as he can remember, he’s been stuck in this old apartment. Seeing as he is a ghost, he figures that he must have _some_ unfinished business, and that is the reason he can’t move on. He just had no idea what it could be.

Not to say that he is completely clueless. Through time and experimentations, he has discovered a few things about this new existence. First, he can’t leave the apartment. Any time he tries to cross the threshold, some unknown force would push him back inside. It doesn’t exclusively have to be at the front door, either. If he ever tries to pass through the walls that separate this apartment from the others, he would also be prohibited. And so, he spends all his days floating from the living room to the kitchen, then the bedroom, floating through the bathroom, before returning to the start.

Life as a ghost is boring.

And miserable now that he can’t eat.

Although he calls it “eating,” the act itself should really be classified as absorbing energy. When he scares someone, a tiny bit of their energy is released, and it would be enough to sustain him for a few days. He had the previous tenants of the apartment to thank for that very valuable piece of information.

At first, Junhui had been reluctant to scare the college student who rented the apartment back then. He seemed like a good kid. As a result, Junhui would wait until the last possible moment, when he just couldn’t take it anymore, to cause a little trouble. He’d slam the door, or make hinges creak in the middle of the night, create spooky sounds during rainstorms. Small things that startled the student into release a puff of energy, but nowhere enough that he’d get longterm nightmares. Their strange living situation went well for about three years, until the student graduated and moved away for his job.

The next people who moved in after that weren’t so nice, so Junhui felt no guilt whatsoever when he pulled out his tricks. He actually felt quite proud of himself when he scared the tenant so much, the man swore that he would never extort money from anyone ever again. The following day, he moved away. Since the rent was cheap, it didn’t take long for someone else to take his place. Junhui kept an open mind in the beginning, hoping that the woman would be a nice neighborhood lady. However, it only took two days for her to crush his hopes. Just like the man before her, she cried to the heavens and vowed never to take advantage of the weak again. Unlike the extortionist, she couldn’t even stay until daytime. That very night, she packed up her bags and fled.

The cycle went on for quite a while. Eventually, rumors began to fly that apartment 1317 was haunted. While Junhui couldn’t leave, he could still hear the gossip from the hallway outside. It worried him. If people knew that he haunted the place, then no one would rent it anymore. What would happen to Junhui if he couldn’t find anyone to scare? Would he just fade away and disappear? Would it hurt?

A full week of worries passed. On the eighth day, Junhui heard a commotion coming from the end of the hall. Several people talked loudly, and Junhui pieced together their conversation. They were a self-proclaimed group of ghost chasers. Equipped with cameras and all sorts of gadgets, they entered the small apartment and set everything up. Junhui was very intrigued. He shrunk down to half his size and floated upward to take a seat on a blade of the ceiling fan.

That night, the team of ghost chasers made a ruckus. Their machines screamed and screeched unintelligible gibberish. Junhui got a headache. Still, he figured he’d help the team out and fill up his tummy at the same time. Plus, aside from their banshee machines, the team was kind of fun. He played along with their games, answered their questions, and even appeared for a split second. The group’s excitement brought Junhui a bit of cheerfulness. Close to dawn, Junhui decided to give them the good scare they’d been so impatient for.

Who could have predicted that Junhui did such a good job, it led the frightened landlord to hang anti-ghost talismans outside the front door and warned anyone he encountered from entering the premises.

Since that day, no one had rented out room 1317.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

Keys jiggling at the door snaps Junhui out of his musings. He sits up and stares with round eyes as the front door gets unlocked and pushed open. A young man with dark hair rolls a suitcase inside and throws the keys haphazardly onto the kitchen counter along with some documents and his ID card. Next, he steps out into the hallway and carries in several cardboard boxes of varying sizes.

Junhui buzzes with joy. _Someone is finally renting the apartment! I can finally eat!_

Riding high on his excitement, Junhui watches as the new tenant sets down his messenger bag on the small dining table and assesses the layout of the apartment. Junhui takes the opportunity to peek at his ID card: _Jeon Wonwoo, 24 years old._ His eyes flicker from the picture to the man currently moving to the window to crack it open.

Junhui’s mouth twists to the side as he mutters in sorrow, “What a waste of a handsome face. This picture is awful.”

Wonwoo snorts. “As if your ID picture would have looked any better.”

Eyes widening, Junhui’s head whips up in the direction of the human boy.

Calmly, Wonwoo turns around and stares right at him. He even arches a brow, expecting Junhui to retort. With a squeak, Junhui dives behind a kitchen chair.

“What was that for?”

“You scared me!” Junhui cries out.

Sighing, Wonwoo shakes his head and picks up a box containing dishware.

Peeking from under the table, Junhui asks shakily, “Y-you can see me?”

“Yes.” Wonwoo moves to the kitchen and opens up all the cabinets to check, clicking his tongue at their faded conditions.

“But how?” Junhui exclaims, feeling fairly betrayed for some unknown reason. “I haven’t made myself visible to mortals yet!”

“My family has always been able to see ghosts,” Wonwoo explains simply, pulling out a drawer.

“So then you knew I was here all along?”

“Mm.”

“Aren’t… aren’t you scared of me?”

Wonwoo pauses his exploration of the apartment to turn around. He casts the ghost currently hiding under his dining table a look. When his gaze returns to Junhui’s eyes, he asks, “Should I be?”

Okay, Junhui decides, ducking his face. If he still had blood, he would definitely blush at the embarrassing situation. But with resolve, he gathers up his courage and stands up, puffing out his chest in feigned bravery. 

“I will have you know that I am a terrifying ghost! I scared off all the previous tenants, and I even made the landlord place all those talismans on the door.”

Wonwoo nods, moving to the living room and checking the state of the old couch. “I know. That’s why the rent was so cheap. Thanks.”

Junhui suppresses the urge to stomp his foot. “Aren’t you even a little bit worried?”

“Nope.”

“But I’m a ghost!”

“Yes, I believe we’ve established that.”

This time, Junhui does throw a tantrum. “I’m a really scary ghost!” Of course, since he has no mass, his stomping doesn’t do much damage aside from perhaps amusing his new roommate as the man arches a brow, the corner of his lips turning upward slightly.

“Yes, terrifying.” And with that dry comment, Wonwoo takes his luggage into the bedroom. He returns a couple times to retrieve the cardboard boxes labelled _BEDROOM_ , barely paying Junhui any attention.

Junhui huffs and collapses on the couch.

This isn’t good. How is he going to feed if he can’t scare Wonwoo?

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

Not allowing himself to give up so soon, Junhui gives himself a short pep talk then sneaks toward the open bedroom door. In the short time, Wonwoo had already opened the windows to air out the stale room and wiped down the small desk with disinfecting wipes. He currently has the sliding door of the closet open, contemplating how to organize his clothes. His suitcase lays on the floor, already open. Junhui gets an idea.

With Wonwoo’s back turned, he quietly slides into the suitcase and makes himself bleed as if he’d been run over by a truck. He groans, perhaps a little exaggeratedly, but Wonwoo has proved himself to be a rather tough cookie. Junhui has to go all out.

Upon hearing his ghostly wails, Wonwoo looks over his shoulder.

_This is it! Come on, don’t I look super gruesome?_

“Tsk. What are you doing? I need clean clothes for work tomorrow.” In two short steps, Wonwoo approaches and easily lifts the bleeding Junhui out of his suitcase.

If Junhui weren’t so distressed, he would have enjoyed the short show of strength. Even more so when he realizes that Wonwoo touched him. His hand didn’t just go through Junhui’s body like all the others.

“Hey! How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Touch me!” To see for himself, Junhui pokes at Wonwoo’s arm. The muscles feel firm under his fingers. _Wow!_ “And I can touch you, too!”

Wonwoo just shrugs. “Who knows. Now please let me finish.”

“Wait! You can’t just set me aside like this.” He clings to Wonwoo’s forearm, shoving his distorted face at him. “I’m a restless spirit! Fear me!”

Wonwoo sighs. Pushing him away from his luggage, he says, “You look better without all the blood. Now clean up and be a good roommate. I’m really tired from moving all these boxes.” Without another word, he returns to arranging his things.

Junhui whines and falls back onto the bed. “Why won’t you get scared?”

As if ready to say something sarcastic, Wonwoo opens his mouth, but then shakes his head and focuses on hanging up his jackets. Eventually, he asks, “Why do you want to scare me so ardently anyway?”

“Because I can’t eat, otherwise. It’s been months since anyone has lived here. I’m starving.”

“Can’t you scare someone else? It doesn’t have to be me specifically, right?”

“No, that’s true, but I can’t leave the apartment.”

Wonwoo’s movements stop momentarily, then the sound of metal hangers sliding along the railing resumes. “I see.”

“Yeah. So you have to be scared of me when I haunt you.”

Wonwoo snorts. “I can’t do it on command. Sorry.”

With a miserable groan, Junhui rolls over and curls up into a ball. _I’m doomed_.

Some clinking sounds coming from the bathroom pulls Junhui out of his misery. Wonwoo seems to be checking out the cabinets under the sink, probably for his shampoo and toiletries. Junhui gets another idea.

The moment Wonwoo walks out into the hall, Junhui flies toward him at full speed, shrieking as high as his voice can go. Right as he crashes into Wonwoo, he falls back and lands on the floor in a pile of cut up and rotting limbs. He peeks, opening one eye. Only to see Wonwoo give his numerous body parts an unimpressed look. Then he steps over a piece of Junhui’s torso to grab his towel from his bag.

Junhui is so distraught, he doesn’t even bother turning back into his usual form. He just lies there. If he were of a better mindset, he would laugh at himself for “resting in pieces.” But as things are, he just sighs and contemplates how terribly difficult his afterlife has turned into.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

All the way till dinnertime, all Junhui got out of Wonwoo was a pity scream when he had snuck up on him with the classic “Boo!” Not only did Junhui not get fed, he felt even more depressed.

Right now, the aromatic fragrance of ramen broth floats out from the kitchen. From his spot on the couch, he can see Wonwoo’s back standing by the stove, stirring and tasting the broth. There’s a soft _clink_ as he places the lid back on top of the pot. Another brilliant idea flits through Junhui’s head.

While Wonwoo rummages through the cabinet for a bowl, Junhui flies toward the nearly boiling pot. He hides under the stove and waits. He hears the rustling of plastic as Wonwoo takes the ramen out of the package and submerges it into the boiling broth. His metal chopsticks clatter here and there when they hit the edge of the pot. Junhui moves into action, slowly rising until his head passes through the bottom of the pot. Then when Wonwoo expects it the least, he pops out.

“What the fu—” Wonwoo jumps back a couple steps, eyes blazing.

But Junhui couldn’t bother to feel guilty, not when he finally gets a tiny piece of food. Granted it isn’t much, since Wonwoo merely got startled from the sudden appearance of Junhui’s head in his ramen, but it was enough to appease the poor ghost’s hunger. So happy (and proud!), Junhui shrinks until he’s the size of a pencil and floats around the pot, passing through the noddles and various tiny pieces of rehydrated scallions.

“Hey, Ghostie. Get out of my dinner.”

Junhui pouts and stares up at him. “My name is Junhui.”

“Junhui, get out of my dinner.”

“I will if you let me scare you again.”

Wonwoo heaves a tired sigh. Without a pause, he grabs his chopsticks and picks Junhui up at the waist.

“Hey! Let me down!” He wiggles, completely bewildered at how he can’t escape. Why did nothing that comes to Wonwoo act like it should! Humans shouldn’t be able to touch him. Objects—aside from the walls of this apartment—should all go through him. How could Wonwoo just pick him up with chopsticks like this? He wiggles some more, trying to break free.

Calmly, Wonwoo sets the tiny ghost on the counter then returns to his noodles. He doesn’t spare him another glance, too busy pouring out his dinner onto a bowl.

Unsettled, Junhui still decides to voice his questions.

“People who can see ghosts have certain abilities when it comes to the supernatural,” Wonwoo explains. “My mom can make them listen to her, but she can’t touch them.” Throwing a look at Junhui, he says dryly, “Obviously, I didn’t inherit that particular skill from her.”

Junhui pouts, cheeks puffing out. But that only makes Wonwoo chuckle as he takes his bowl of noodles to the table and eat.

“Don’t you have any tips on how to scare you?”

“Not really.”

“Well, apparently jump-scares work on you.”

“Anybody would get startled, though. It’s just a natural reaction to suddenness.”

Discouraged, Junhui laments his fate once more.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

Ever the optimist, Junhui comes up with another plan. After dinner, Wonwoo had told him to behave and not cause a ruckus tonight because he needed to wake up early for work the next day. Junhui had begrudgingly agreed. He was hungry, but he wasn’t mean. So he waited until the following morning to exact his plan.

Seeing as it’s winter, by the time Wonwoo wakes up, the sun has yet to rise. The sky looks just as inky as it did last night. Junhui hears the alarm getting turned off, then after some shuffling, Wonwoo’s shadow appears at the doorway of the bathroom.

Suppressing his giggles, Junhui slides down a little lower in the bathtub, one arm flung over the edge, head lifelessly slumped over. He makes blood pool from the numerous cuts on his body, vibrant red rivulets contrasting with the paleness of his skin.

Right as Wonwoo flips on the switch, the lights flicker on and off rapidly, just enough for him to see the gory scene in his bathroom. Junhui grins internally, ready to feast on Wonwoo’s energy.

Except it doesn’t come. Even for a full minute.

Curious as to what is happening, he discretely slips one eye open.

A dark shadow looms overhead, its arms reaching in his direction.

With a shriek, Junhui bolts upright and flees across the room. A second later, the lights flicker on, and this time, they stay on. Junhui peeks through the fingers covering his face. Wonwoo stands by the bathtub, one hand holding the old lightbulb. A brand new one has been installed right above the spot Junhui had pretended to be murdered.

“I suppose it’s a good thing it went out now rather than when I’m showering,” Wonwoo mutters absentmindedly as he tosses it into the bin.

“Couldn’t you have said something?” Junhui exclaims, finally getting his wits back. He places a hand over his dead heart. “I thought you were an evil demon about to catch me. You scared me half of death!”

Wonwoo gives him a look. “You’re telling me that?”

Flustered, Junhui flounders for a response. “W-well, I’m the ghost! I’m supposed to scare you.”

Wonwoo merely rolls his eyes and turns on the water. “Whatever you say. Now please leave so I can shower.”

Stubbornly, Junhui crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Not until I can get you to scream in fright.”

“Suit yourself.” He shrugs. In the same instant, he tugs on his shirt and pulls it over his head, leisurely stripping.

Letting out another scream, Junhui clasps his hands over his eyes and runs out of the bathroom. Wonwoo’s laughter mingles with the sound of the rushing water.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

After a few days living with Wonwoo, Junhui discovers that the human is addicted to computer games. If he’s not at work or sleeping, Wonwoo sits at his desk and spends hours on end playing whatever game it is. It’s been quite a long time since Junhui has had the chance to see video games, so he’s sadly very much behind on the hot new trends. All he knows from watching Wonwoo is that it involves a lot of shooting and shouting.

Wonwoo doesn’t shout all that much, but whoever he is playing with are very loud. Adding that to the sound effects, and it’s a wonder Wonwoo can even hear himself think. It is so loud, in fact, that he doesn’t even hear Junhui’s attempt at scaring him. A real letdown, too, because Junhui actually brought out chains and shackles, going for the tortured soul approach.

Not that Wonwoo even notices him! His eyes are glued to the screen!

With a huff, Junhui gathers his chains and drags his heavy, shackled body over. He sinks down, crawling along the floor, then just like he did with the pot of ramen, Junhui slowly moves through the desk and jumps out through the screen. His chains jingle and his ghostly moans manage to beat the abnormally loud volume of the game.

“Tsk, Junhui!” Wonwoo yells, pulling him out of the computer by one of the chains. “Go play over there.”

How humiliating! Junhui thinks, whipping the chains all around him. He must not have timed his attack correctly. This time, he’ll wait until something on screen explodes, and then he’ll jump out. Surely, Wonwoo will have to get startled.

Smiling to himself, Junhui returns to the desktop. He bides his time, watching the happenings in the game, trying to figure out which character is Wonwoo’s. Unfortunately for him, he gets a little too distracted by the game. By the time the opportune moment strikes, Junhui misses his chance and attacks a second too late.

“ROOOOOOOAAAAAR!!!”

“Stop being a brat.” Wonwoo yanks him out again, but this time, he doesn’t let him go. Instead, he sets him on his lap and keeps an arm around his waist. On screen, a short video plays introducing the next chapter in the game.

The moment Junhui attempts to escape, Wonwoo tightens his hold. “Sit still or I’m gonna take the landlord’s advice and find an exorcist.”

“Eeep!” Junhui immediately sits back down.

For the remainder of the day, Wonwoo plays his game quite happily. He even gets his very own cheerleader.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

One day after work, Wonwoo finds Junhui in his room, looking at the books lining his shelves. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading the spines.

“You have a lot of books,” he remarks a little absentmindedly, trying to make out certain characters. “How come I never see you read at home?”

Shrugging off his jacket and throwing it on the bed, Wonwoo says, “I’m busy.”

“Busy playing video games,” Junhui snickers.

Wonwoo ignores him, putting away his bag and pulling out his laptop to set on his desk.

After a short pause, Junhui says wistfully, “I kinda miss reading novels.”

“There are some on the bottom shelf.”

“Really?” Sitting up, he goes to check. “Ah, yeah. But it’s not like I can read them.” When Wonwoo glances back at him, he laughs. “I mean, I know how to read, I just…” He waves his hands around. “I can’t turn the pages. Oh, well.” Sighing, Junhui sprawls his limbs on the carpet and stares up at Wonwoo as the latter moves around the room.

“Mm.” He comes around to the shelf, throwing a cursory look, then pulls out about half a dozen volumes. He flips them all to the back cover and nudges Junhui’s calf with his socked toe. “Take a look and see which one interests you.”

“Huh?”

“Most novels come with an audiobook version. I’m gonna shower, so let me know after.”

“Wait!” Junhui bolts upright and tugs on his jeans. “That’s really nice of you, but there’s no need to spend money on me. I was just… making conversation.”

“I wouldn’t be spending money. It’s part of my membership benefits.”

“Oh.”

“So choose one.” He gestures toward the row of paperbacks. “Or more than one. They’re all pretty good reads.” Shrugging, he turns toward the bathroom.

Left alone, Junhui sits still for a few seconds, pondering what it is that he’s feeling. The emotion is so foreign he has a hard time coming to terms with it. How long has it been since the last time anyone has shown him so much consideration? Maybe having Wonwoo as a roommate isn’t such a bad thing.

If only he could get fed, too…

Shaking his head, he pushes the negative thoughts away. He can finally get to read again! Well, sort of. Excitedly, he turns to the colorful covers and starts scanning through the short blurbs on the back. By the time he’s made his pick, Wonwoo still hasn’t finished.

Hmm…

The dark jacket lying on the bed catches his attention. Too busy talking to him, Wonwoo hasn’t hung it up in the closet yet. _Ah!_ A sudden burst of inspiration hits. Giggling to himself, Junhui stands up and sneaks into the closet. Right on time, too, because as soon as he settles himself behind the coats, the shower gets turned off. He quickly puts on the illusion of a decaying corpse and waits.

A couple minutes later, Wonwoo walks back into the room. Through he crack of the door, Junhui sees him glimpse toward his books, probably wondering where the little ghost has gone. Junhui presses a hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing.

Just as he expects, Wonwoo grabs his jacket and heads for the closet to hang it up. He opens the door, and—

Junhui lets out a creepy groan, completely letting go of his weight to fall into Wonwoo.

“Whoa!”

Instead of jumping back and screaming like Junhui had hoped, Wonwoo immediately drops his jacket and attempts to catch him. Unfortunately, due to the awkward angle, they both end up falling backward.

Groaning in slight pain, Wonwoo sits up and rests his weight onto his elbows. He directs a slightly exasperated sigh at the ghost on his torso. “What were you doing?”

“Um.” Not quite able to meet his gaze, Junhui shrinks back a little, fingers playing with the cotton of Wonwoo’s shirt. “Scaring you?”

“Ah.” Wonwoo nods like an indulgent parent. “And here I thought you wanted to fall into my arms.”

Even though Junhui can’t blush, he still feels the embarrassment. With a _hmph!_ he smacks Wonwoo’s chest, sticking his tongue out when the latter laughs. “It’s a classic scene! I was a corpse, and you were supposed to scream when you saw how disgusting and gross I look!”

Wonwoo arches a brow, a corner of his lips tugged upward. “You’re not disgusting and gross, though.”

Phantom heat pricks his scalp, and Junhui can hardly handle it. He clasps his hands over his face. “Stoppp! You’re not following the script!”

But Wonwoo just laughs, unrepentant. “So. Are you done scaring me?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” He cocks his head toward the books. “And did you make your choice?”

“I did!” Eyes sparkling, he elaborates, “The one about the kitty and his human!”

“Mm. I’ll take a look for the audiobook after dinner.” Pulling the both of them back on their feet, he adds, “I’m starving right now.”

Narrowing his eyes, Junhui retorts, “Gee, I can’t possibly understand how you feel.”

Instead of feeling guilty for not getting scared by the hungry ghost’s tricks, Wonwoo laughs and heads out into the hallway. “Well, you can always keep trying.”

Junhui grabs his hand and chomps down.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

Just because Wonwoo isn’t frightened by Junhui that doesn’t necessarily mean that Wonwoo is immune to all ghosts, right? As much as it pains (and embarrasses) him, Junhui has to admit to himself that he needs the help of professional ghosts. One night, he manages to convince Wonwoo to watch a horror movie with him.

As the title screen plays through, Wonwoo sneers, “You should probably start taking notes, Little Ghostie.”

“Shh!” Junhui smacks him with childish hits, then huddles onto himself. So what if he is planning to take notes? Wonwoo doesn’t need to know that. Besides, if Wonwoo chats, then he might miss out on the jump scares. Junhui must remain in control of the movie night for the welfare of his hungry tummy.

At the start of the evening, they plop down on opposite ends of the couch. Wonwoo slouches against the back of it, using a cushion to support the bowl of popcorn on his stomach. With his long legs stretched out in front of him, he looks much too at ease at the prospect of watching a horror movie. Junhui is slightly worried about the success of his plan, but he figures the movie is two hours long. There’s plenty of time for Wonwoo’s arrogant and smug appearance to go up in smoke. Or more ideally, in a nice and loud scream that’ll feed Junhui for the new few days. Plus he thinks it’d be hilarious to see.

The movie is very good. Only partway through, but Junhui’s hair is already metaphorically standing on end, and his ghostly heart races with all the suspense. He hugs his knees to his chest, resting his chin atop of them. His eyes are wide open, watching the events unfold. He flinches at very sound, praising the ghostly entities. At one point, he can’t even tell whether he is cheering on the humans or the ghosts anymore.

 _Oh, no. No no no no! Don’t go in there!_ he screams internally, muscles tensing up in anticipation. The protagonist yanks the door open, and Junhui sucks in a breath.

Only nothing happens. It’s just an empty room.

Slowly, Junhui releases his breath, allowing his muscles to relax. No sooner had he let his guard down that a bloody mess of flesh and hair jumps across the screen, slamming into the hero. Junhui startles, the gasp stuck in his throat. He shivers all over, sensing as though his heart is ready to burst out of his chest.

He takes a quick peek toward his roommate. That had to have taken Wonwoo by surprise, too, right? Gingerly as not be caught, Junhui glimpses over. His jaw falls open.

Wonwoo has fallen asleep.

 _What!_ How could he fall asleep watching a horror movie? One scary enough that even Junhui the ghost got spooked!

Peeved, Junhui scoots over and shakes him awake. “Wonwoo! Wake up!”

The other groans, smacking his lips, bleary eyes slipping open a tiny bit. “Is the movie over?”

“No! It’s just getting to the good part!”

“Okay, okay. Stop shaking me. I’m awake.” With difficulty, he sits up and sets the half-empty bowl of popcorn onto the coffee table. He yawns, head lolling to the side as he stares impassively at the screen. “Did you get any good tips?”

“Stop making fun of me,” Junhui mutters. “You should pay attention to the movie anyway.”

Chuckling, Wonwoo relents. “Fine.”

The movie becomes more and more creepy by the minute. Even if Junhui knows it’s fake, he still gets the shivers. Unconsciously, he scoots a little closer to the source of heat. At least with someone there, it’ll feel less scary, right? He keeps moving, a tiny inch here and there. Before he knows it, Wonwoo’s side is pressed against his. He doesn’t pay it much attention, because on screen, the protagonist has discovered the secret tomb. The evil spirit is bound to make an appearance _soon_.

Stomach in knots, he squeezes his arms tighter around his legs, teeth gnawing at his knees. Something moves around the corner of his eye, prompting him to look over on instincts. Within the same second, the music of the movie blasts through the speakers, announcing the arrival of the monster. A startled scream tears through the suspenseful music, followed by the rest of the actors yelling and begging for their lives as the ghost rips their bodies open. Junhui shields his head with his hands and ducks against the closest object, which so happens to be Wonwoo.

“Are you okay?” There is definitely a hint of amusement in the question.

Obviously, Junhui can’t be victim to a panic attack or have his heart stop from fright. And okay, maybe seeing a ghost getting scared by a horror movie is actually pretty funny. But Wonwoo still isn’t nice for teasing him. _Moreover_! He isn’t even the least bit scared of the scene in the movie!

“It’s because you moved at the same time as the monster,” Junhui whines pitifully.

“Mm.” Wonwoo holds back a laugh, hand gentle as he comforts the frightened ghost, tucking him closer to his side. “I’m sorry, but my shoulders were really stiff. I needed to stretch.”

“That’s what you get for falling asleep in the middle of a movie.”

Laughing, Wonwoo pats his back then rubs soothing circles. “Do you want to stop?”

“No! I want to see how it ends.” Gradually, Junhui comes out of hiding and notices that Wonwoo had paused the movie for him. “I’m too invested in it.”

“Alright. Just don’t complain when you get nightmares tonight.” With a flick, he resumes the movie.

“I can’t sleep, so I can’t get nightmares anyway,” Junhui says, feigning confidence.

“That’s true.”

Junhui waits to see if he’ll say anything else, but Wonwoo doesn’t. He just shifts his weight a little to accommodate Junhui.

The latter doesn’t pick up on the hidden meaning until much later at night.

As expected, the rest of the movie is just as terrifying at the first half. What really freaks Junhui out, though, is how the resolution came to be, leaving a bad taste in his mouth, and an even bigger shadow hanging over his head. If it were just a matter of jump scares and suspenseful music, then Junhui would have gotten over it. As it were, though, it’s the psychological aspect of the movie that really gets under Junhui’s skin.

Wonwoo had long gone to sleep, and Junhui paces back and forth in the living room, flinching at every little noise, jumping at the little shadows casted from the streets, seeing creepy glowing eyes emerge from dark corners, ready to pull him by the legs and imprison him for the rest of eternity.

Unable to endure it anymore, Junhui goes up to Wonwoo’s bedside and kneels by the headboard. His voice comes out in a tiny whisper as he tugs on the blanket.

“Wonwoo…”

“Hmm?” Groggily, Wonwoo furrows his brows and groans. “Junhui? What is it?”

“I…” He can’t seem to bring himself to ask. He fidgets with the blanket, eyes downcast.

As if sensing his hesitance, Wonwoo clears his throat and turns onto his side. “Are you here to scold me for falling asleep again? There’s no movie playing, though.”

Whether Wonwoo intended it or not, Junhui manages to laugh softly. “No, I… Can I… Can I stay here tonight?”

Sighing, he makes it seem as though it’s a huge burden, but he lifts the edge of the blanket a little. “C’mere.”

Junhui wiggles under the covers and tucks himself against Wonwoo’s chest, smiling at the warmth surrounding him. “Thank you.”

“Sure. I hope you’re a better body pillow than a ghost.”

Junhui pokes him, and Wonwoo laughs.

“If you’re good, I’ll think about offering you a permanent job.”

At that prospect, Junhui’s eyes flash in excitement. “Will you feed me as payment?”

Laughing, Wonwoo squeezes him around the waist and settles down to sleep. “We’ll see.”

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

On that weekend, Wonwoo decides to do a load of laundry, which gives Junhui another idea. Everyone knows how terrifyingly creepy ghosts who haunt lakes and wells are. Granted, there’s neither nearby (and even if there were, it’s not like Junhui can go there, anyway), he can probably pull something together, regardless. As long as there’s water, he can pretend to be a drowning victim.

Giddy to put his new plan into action, Junhui waits patiently for Wonwoo to fill up the washing machine by hiding in the vents of the hallway. Once Wonwoo moves to the bedroom to play his game, Junhui slips down and dives into the machine. He’ll wait inside, and as soon as Wonwoo opens the lid, he’ll pop out and scare the socks off of him. Wonwoo won’t see it coming at all, and Junhui will get to eat! A foolproof plan!

When the jingle of the washing machine signals the end of the cycle, Wonwoo pauses his game. He doesn’t think too much about where Junhui could have gone, figuring the little ghost went off to do… ghostly things. Or he’s hiding in the closet to scare Wonwoo again. Shrugging it off, he flips open the lid.

The moment Junhui sees light, he propels himself out. However, the shrill scream that he’s prepared to burst from his throat is replaced by a pitiful whine, and the ferocious arms that were supposed to snatch and pull at Wonwoo’s clothes flail limply in the air. Everything around him spins, and he feels as if his brain has been scrambled.

“Junhui! What are you doing? Are you okay?” He can count at least four Wonwoos looking down at him in concern, although only two hands grip his shoulders to steady him.

“Yeah…” he replies, swaying all over the place. “The spin cycle is really strong…”

“Tsk.” Clicking his tongue, Wonwoo pulls him fully out of the washing machine. “I have never seen a ghost failing so badly at scaring one person.”

Junhui whines, wanting to hit him, but missing entirely and almost falling onto the floor. “Don’t be mean… You should be nicer to me. It’s because you’re so difficult to scare that I’m putting myself into these messes.”

Not responding, Wonwoo lifts him up in a princess carry and walks to the couch. Gently, he sets him down and rearranges his limbs. “Lay still for a while. Don’t go and try to scare me for the time being.”

Junhui pouts. “But I’ll be lonely.”

Heaving a sigh, Wonwoo gets up to leave. Junhui sighs too, throwing an arm over his eyes.

Not a full minute later, the couch cushion dips under a person’s weight. Junhui removes his arm to see two Wonwoos sitting down and opening up their laptops. Almost immediately, the now familiar music and gameplay sound effects fill the room, along with the indistinct voices of Wonwoo’s friends coming from his headphones.

Junhui doesn’t even bother hiding his grin. He closes his eyes and basks in Wonwoo’s presence.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

About three weeks of unsuccessful haunting passes. Aside from that one instance with the pot of ramen, Junhui has not managed to scare Wonwoo any other time, which means he’s been going hungry ever since. Even though he complains, he knows that Wonwoo isn’t doing it on purpose. Junhui can’t force him to get scared. Moreover, having him around is actually pretty neat. He can’t even remember the last time he’s talked to anyone, much less have that person indulge his antics. So aside from his hunger problem, living with Wonwoo is actually really fun. He likes Wonwoo a lot.

He’s in the midst of recalling their latest movie night (an action movie this time), just floating along the ceiling as usual, when he hears voices coming from the hallway. He recognizes Wonwoo’s deep timber easily, but the other male voice is foreign to him. It’s not one of the neighbors, either. Curious, Junhui turns himself small and sits on the blade of the fan and waits.

As he suspected, Wonwoo unlocks the door and steps inside. Behind him is a boy with blond hair and cute hamster cheeks. Junhui thinks his tiger wardrobe is a little dramatic, especially when he’s standing next to all-gray and expressionless Jeon Wonwoo, but the boy looks nice. The two friends are discussing some kind of video project, which Junhui guesses has to do with Wonwoo’s job.

This is the first time in months that Junhui has seen anyone else in the apartment aside from Wonwoo. It’s a little exciting! Usually with just him and Wonwoo, it’s pretty quiet. Now that there’s a third person, the atmosphere differs greatly. He wonders if all of Wonwoo’s friends are as hyper as this one.

“You know, when you told us that you moved into a cheap place, I thought it’d be a dump,” the friend says casually, without an ounce of malice. He seems genuinely surprised at the state of the apartment as he looks around. “But it looks pretty nice!”

“Yeah, it is,” Wonwoo replies, eyes flickering toward the ceiling fan for half a second. He goes to get some water bottles from the fridge. When he returns, he leans against the archway and asks, “Soonyoung, what are you looking for? Change?”

The blond—Soonyoung—is in the middle of sliding his hand in between the couch cushions.

“I’m looking for evidence,” he says. Abandoning the couch, he crouches down to look under the coffee table and the small tv stand.

Seemingly used to his friend’s strange behavior, Wonwoo ignores him and opens one of the bottles to drink.

“There has to be a reason you’ve been cooped up at home this entire month and refused to go out with the group,” Soonyoung continues, going through the cabinets now. “Obviously, you’ve never been all that sociable before, but it’s still weird how you immediately head home everyday after work and can’t even spare one hour for your friends.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Wonwoo rolls his eyes. “Do you know how tiring it is to work _and_ move houses at the same time? Besides, the new _Ode_ game came out.”

“Nonsense!” Heading toward the bedroom, Soonyoung adds, “Coups says you haven’t even been online lately, so don’t even try. I know you have a boyfriend.”

Wonwoo chokes on his water. “Wh—Kwon Soonyoung!”

Meanwhile, Junhui’s eyes turn round. Wonwoo has a boyfriend? How come he didn’t know? Although, considering Wonwoo only comes home in the evening, it makes sense that he has a life outside of the apartment. A life Junhui doesn’t know anything about. For whatever reason, he doesn’t feel that good. Had he been paying attention, he would have noticed the quick glance Wonwoo throws in his direction right before marching to the bedroom to pull Soonyoung out.

Feeling complicated, Junhui waits until the two humans are back in the living room, then he slinks away and settles on Wonwoo’s bed. He’s not sure how long he lays there, mind wandering, until he notices Wonwoo coming into the room. He sits on the floor, leaning over the bed to see Junhui.

“What’s wrong?”

Junhui shrugs, not understanding either. “I feel… strange.”

“Is it because Soonyoung’s here?”

Thinking for a moment, he shakes his head. “No, your friend is funny.”

Wonwoo snorts, rolling his eyes, but Junhui giggles. “Why haven’t you tried to scare him? He’s a pretty easy target. I bet you could stay full for a whole week just from one scream.”

Junhui laughs again. “Is that why you brought him over? Because you were worried about me? Or was it to get me off your back?”

“Yeah.”

“Which one is it?”

Smirking, Wonwoo leans his head on a fist. “Hm, I wonder?”

Junhui huffs to hide the turbulence in his emotions. “You’re so mean.”

In response, Wonwoo flicks him. “Hurry up and go scare him. He’s washing his hands in the bathroom right now. Just ‘pop in’ and eat.”

“I can’t…”

“Why not?”

“He looks like such a good guy, and he’s cute. I’d feel too guilty.”

Staring at him with a flat expression, Wonwoo says, “And yet you feel no remorse when do it to me?”

“You’re different!”

Wonwoo sighs. “You’re really not gonna do it?”

Junhui only pouts. “Unless you move out, you’re stuck with me, Mr. Jeon.”

Shaking his head, the other sighs again, but there is a note of slight indulgence in the action. After a short beat, he turns back to him. “Close your eyes.”

“Huh?”

“Be good and listen to me.”

Junhui resists the urge to act out, instead making a show as if closing his eyes demands great effort on his part. He hears Wonwoo laugh softly.

Not long after, something warm and soft lands on his lips. Following right behind is a surge of energy flooding his body, immediately revitalizing him. His eyes snap open to see Wonwoo smirking at him a few inches away.

The latter arches a brow. “Well? How do you feel?”

“Wha…” If Junhui still had a heart, it would no doubt beat erratically now. “How…”

“People who can see and sense ghosts usually tend to have a higher energy level than the average human. Since you refuse to feed from anyone else, there’s little I can do.”

Still dazed, Junhui tentatively pokes the tip of his tongue out to touch his tingling lips. Not satisfied, he grazes at them with his finger. For the first time since he can remember, he feels… warm.

“Are you full yet?” Wonwoo asks, a hint of something Junhui can’t decipher glinting in the depth of his eyes.

Unable to find his words, Junhui shakes his head. Only to nod a second later. Completely overwhelmed, he knits his brows together and pulls his knees closer to his chest. The sight prompts a soft chuckle to fall from Wonwoo’s mouth.

“Which one is it?”

Embarrassed, he tucks his face against the pillow. “I don’t know,” he mumbles out.

Wonwoo sighs, but it doesn’t sound annoyed at all, as he reaches forward and turns Junhui’s face toward him by the chin. “You really are terrible at being a ghost.”

“Hey!”

Laughing, Wonwoo leans forward and kisses him again. It’s a little less gentle, a little more purposeful. Junhui bursts with the surge of energy flowing into him, head spinning from it. By the time Wonwoo pulls away, Junhui’s entire being tingles. If he didn’t know better, he’d think that he was glowing.

“Better?”

Junhui can only nod dazedly.

Laughing again, Wonwoo pats his head and runs his fingers through the smooth red strands. “Good.”

Junhui watches him go around the foot of the bed to reach his laptop. By the time he returns to Junhui’s side, he chucks his chin gently and says, “Terrible, but incredibly cute.”

Junhui gets so flustered, he spends the rest of the evening buried under the covers.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

Since Junhui doesn’t need to sleep, he would normally just float around and do nothing until Wonwoo wakes up and chat with him, before he has to go to work. Shortly after moving in, Wonwoo had asked him what he does at night, and after hearing Junhui’s retelling, he turned pensive. Later on, he called Junhui over to the couch and flipped through the channels, asking him what shows he wanted to watch.

Honestly, almost of them sounded fascinating. He didn’t know what Wonwoo was thinking, so he hesitated, but Wonwoo urged him to tell the truth. Junhui watched with surprise as Wonwoo set the tv to record all of the shows Junhui wanted, then set them to play at night. Every evening after that, before Wonwoo went to his room to sleep, he’d switch the tv on for Junhui. This way, his ghostie roommate wouldn’t have to sit in the dark for hours on end.

Junhui hadn’t known how to show his gratitude, so he just clung to Wonwoo for a good minute, then decided not to pull any hauntings for at least a full week! Wonwoo patted his head and chuckled.

Tonight is just one of those ordinary nights. Junhui had already watched through a full episode of the current drama, and he was moving on to a documentary on pandas (Wonwoo programmed the shows to alternate so Junhui wouldn’t get bored of the same genre). The title screen had just played, and Junhui squealed at the adorable little balls of fluff rolling around playing together.

Suddenly, a _bang_ comes from the window, causing Junhui to jump from his spot on the couch. The apartment is on the thirteenth floor. There’s no chance for pranksters to successfully throw things at their window, right? A little apprehensively, Junhui gets up and moves slowly toward the window.

A shadow flits across his vision, then a huge monster appears on the other side of the glass. Glowing red eyes glare at him, and sharp claws reach toward the latch. Junhui shrieks and races into the bedroom. He crashes onto Wonwoo’s bed and wiggles until he gets under the blankets to burrow into his embrace. His arms shake so much, he can hardly hold on to Wonwoo’s torso.

“J-Junhui?” A gentle hand comes to rest on his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Junhui hugs him tighter. “Th-there’s a monster outside the window!” he hisses, keeping his voice low in fear that the demon outside could hear him. “He tried to catch my soul!”

Groaning, Wonwoo shifts his weight onto his side in order to tuck Junhui against him. “It was just a nightmare, go back to sleep, kitten.”

Under normal circumstances, Junhui would melt at the endearment and the gravely sound of his voice. But not now, not when he could be caught and eaten!

“Wonwoo!” He shakes the semi-conscious human. “I’m a ghost! I can’t sleep, remember? It’s really there! The monster is lurking right outside the living room window!”

By the rhythm of his breathing, Wonwoo seems a little more awake. “A monster?”

“Yes!”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Please go out to check if it’s gone!”

Wonwoo draws out a long and exaggerated groan. “Leave it alone. It’ll be gone by morning.” Tightening his hold around Junhui’s waist, he says easily, “You can just stay here tonight.”

Not that he wouldn’t want to stay here all night, but Junhui is much too distracted by his fears. What if it’s a high-class demon? What if it attacks?

“Wonwoo…” He shakes on his arm, voice turning whiny. “Please!”

A fake snore echoes in the room.

Disgruntled, Junhui mutters, “If this is how you treat your boyfriend, then I feel sorry for him.”

“Mm. Is that so?” Wonwoo replies, a smile pressed to Junhui’s hair. “Why don’t you give it a try and see?”

Confused, he glances up. “What?”

But Wonwoo merely smirks lazily.

They stare at each other for a full minute.

“Wonwoo…” he whines.

“What?”

“Do I really have to say it for you to do it?”

“Well, I won’t know what you want until you tell me, right?”

Petulantly, he burrows further into the crook of Wonwoo’s neck. “Okay, I’ll be your ghost boyfriend.”

Wonwoo laughs heartily, the sound reverberating through his chest, prompting Junhui to smile despite it all. “Did you really need to add ‘ghost’ to it?” Not giving him the opportunity to respond, he squeezes him once, then sits up. “Alright. Be good and stay here, scaredy-cat.”

He makes it about halfway across the room before Junhui scrambles to catch up and jump onto his back, arms and legs wrapped around him like a koala. “Whoa! What’s wrong now?”

“I can’t let you go alone,” Junhui explains. “What if the demon captures you?”

With a snort, Wonwoo hitches him up higher and rests his hands under his thighs. “And what would you do to stop him?”

“I… I don’t know, but there’s power in numbers, right?”

“You really are a hopeless ghost.”

“Hey!”

“It’s okay. I like you better this way.” He gives his right thigh a pat, then heads for the living room.

As soon as they enter, the monster outside bangs on the glass, grunting angrily. He definitely looks like it wants to come in and capture their souls. Junhui squeaks, hiding his face against the slope of Wonwoo’s shoulder. Unconsciously, his arms and legs tighten. Wonwoo lets out a choked sound, one hand lifting to try and dislodge the death grip. “Let go.”

“No, don’t throw me away!”

“If you don’t let go, then you’ll kill me before the demon gets a chance to.”

Understanding hits, and he immediately loosens up. “Sorry.”

“You okay?”

He nods adamantly.

“Let’s go.”

Junhui doesn’t know what happens, because he is too scared to look. He can only sense that they’ve stopped in front of the window, and Wonwoo is moving his arm in some kind of circular motion. Is he drawing on the window? Is that what the squeaky sound is? Before too long, Wonwoo pokes his thigh.

“You can relax. He’s gone.”

Junhui’s head snaps up. Sure enough, over Wonwoo’s shoulder, all he can see is the usual skyline dotted with yellow lights.

“What happened?”

Grabbing the remote by the couch, he turns off the tv. “I chased him away. Guess he really was trying to eat you.”

At the thought, Junhui shrinks further down his back.

“He’s a demon who hunts down untethered souls.”

They return to the bedroom, with Junhui still quite unsettled. “Are you just teasing me again?”

“No.” Wonwoo sets him down on the bed and pulls the blanket over them. “It is way too late, and I am exhausted. Sleep.”

“I don’t need to sleep.”

“Then just snuggle me. You like snuggling, right?”

The fantom heat of a blush crosses over Junhui’s cheeks, and he hides his face against Wonwoo’s solid chest. He hears him chuckle softly, then a kiss is pressed to his temple. A gentle flow of energy warms him up, and he smiles contently. After a few beats, Wonwoo’s breathing begins to even out.

“Goodnight, Wonwon,” he whispers.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

The following day, while Wonwoo is at work, Junhui goes to investigate the window where the demon had showed up. He didn’t originally plan on doing anything; after all, the demon disappeared after Wonwoo chased it away. There was nothing much left to it.

But while he lounged on the couch listening to one of the many audiobooks Wonwoo got for him, a streak of sunlight had winked at him. Shifting aside in order to not let his eye get poked by the brightness, the squiggles on the glass had gotten his attention. Now that he thinks about it, he recalls Wonwoo drawing something on the window last night. Curiosity getting the better of him, he decides to check it out.

He floats around, trying to see the wiggly lines from all angles as best as he can. They look too purposeful to be random, yet they don’t form words. The longer he studies them, the more likely they seem to be symbols. Yet for the life (death?) of him, he can’t figure out their meaning. He’ll have to wait for Wonwoo to come home and ask.

So enthralled by the story’s narration, he almost misses the jiggle of keys outside the door. A burst of joy flows into his limbs as he hurries toward the door and hides, holding back his giggles. As soon as Wonwoo enters, he jumps out.

“Boo!”

Wonwoo laughs, kicking the door shut and toeing off his shoes. “Still at it, huh? Didn’t we already establish that you don’t need to scare me in order to get fed anymore?”

At the reminder, Junhui blushes (sort of). “It’s become a habit by now. I forgot about… the other way.” His voice progressively turns more timid by the end of the sentence.

“Ah.” Pinching his chin, Wonwoo turns his face over. “Do I need to remind you then?” He smirks. “Or are you not hungry?”

“I’m not… not hungry.”

The grin grows larger as Wonwoo leans closer. “Mm. Then how many do you think will be enough to satisfy you?”

Their lips are so close, Junhui would just need to tip forward and they’d be kissing. “I don’t know. As many as you can give me, I guess.”

Wonwoo clicks his tongue in faux chastisement, shaking his head. “Such a little glutton.” Just like that, the gap between them widens.

Junhui pouts at him, doe eyes round and imploring. “Wonwoo… stop teasing.”

Chuckling, he cups Junhui’s head in his hand and brings them close. No matter how many times he receives Wonwoo’s kisses, the intensity of the energy flow never ceases to amaze him. It’s instantaneous, leaving in its wake an addictive tingle and glowing warmth. He wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his afterlife kissing Wonwoo, and that’s not just because he’s getting fed.

As a result, when Wonwoo pulls away, Junhui can’t help chasing after him. Wonwoo chuckles, holding him back at the waist. “Still hungry?”

Junhui shakes his head, but leans forward regardless. Wonwoo indulges him, kissing him until his knees wobble and he’s forced to slump against his chest.

“I’ve gone weak,” he states. “So you gotta take responsibility and carry me.”

Wonwoo snorts, bumping their foreheads together. “You just ate. How can you be weak?”

“Hmph!”

“Ah…” With a sigh, Wonwoo picks him up and heads for the bedroom to change out of his work clothes.

“Yay!”

Wonwoo glances down at him and rolls his eyes, laughing. “You’re such a bratty ghost.” Before Junhui could retort, he throws him down onto the bed. While Junhui makes a show of rolling around, Wonwoo removes his messenger bag and sets his laptop back on the desk. A thin book slides out of the bag when Wonwoo moves it.

“Oh, what’s that?” Junhui points.

Looking over his shoulder, Wonwoo talks as he hangs up his jacket. “My mom let me borrow it. I met up with my parents for lunch, but I forgot to return it to her.”

Upon closer inspection, Junhui notices that the drawing on the front cover looks very similar to whatever it is that Wonwoo drew on the living room window. Reminded of it, he asks.

“It’s a protection array to ward against wandering spirits.”

Shocked, Junhui looks up sharply and points to his chest. “But I’m a wandering spirit, too!”

“No,” Wonwoo says slowly. He walks to the bed and sits on the edge, facing him. “You’re not. You’re tethered to me. Somewhat.”

“Huh?”

In response, Wonwoo stares at him flatly. Well, it’s been a while since he’s seen that expression. “Don’t you remember what I told you before we went out to check on the demon?”

How could Junhui forget? Of course he remembers. And it is just as embarrassing now as it was last night. He can feel his ears reddening, even if by his own imagination. “Y-you mean you weren’t just teasing me again?”

“Only partially,” he smirks.

“Wonwoo!”

Wonwoo laughs, reaching for a small box in his bag. With rapt attention, Junhui watches him open it and take out two red strings. They look delicate but sturdy, maybe some kind of silk. As Junhui starts to voice his inquiries out loud, he senses a strong energy emanating from from the strings. His eyes turn round and large.

“Wait, these are…”

“Mm. Soul-binding strings.”

Junhui has so many questions, he doesn’t know where to begin. “How did you even get them?”

Resting his cheek on a fist, Wonwoo watches him with amusement. “Haven’t you ever wondered why I’m not afraid of ghosts or how I knew to draw a protection array on the fly?”

“Well, now that you mention it…”

“My mom is a professional exorcist.”

Shocked, Junhui’s jaw drops and and his hands fly to his hair. “Wha—”

“Even more scary than ghosts, huh?” Wonwoo laughs, squeezing his knee. “My parents actually know the landlord, so when he heard that I needed a place to move into, he nearly begged me to come here. He even promised to let me stay rent-free if I can chase you out.”

“Then… you’re going to…” He gulps, glancing at the book between them. “Exorcize me?”

Wonwoo rolls his eyes and flicks his forehead. “Why would I get us soul-bind strings if I’m going to exorcize you?”

In the midst of rubbing his stinging forehead, he stops. “They’re for us?’

“Who else would they be for?” Wonwoo asks, a little exasperated.

“Um. Your boyfriend?”

Wonwoo cups his face and stares at him, smirking. “You are my boyfriend, Jun. You said so, remember?”

“Wonwoo! Stop joking around!” Junhui rolls away and buries himself under the sheets.

As if he’s going to let bed linens stop him, Wonwoo strips them off. “I’m not.” In one tug, he pulls Junhui up and makes him sit appropriately.

However, Junhui still refuses to look him in the eye, preferring to play with the edge of the box instead. “But I’m a ghost.”

“I am well aware.”

“And I’m dead.”

“Yes, that is what being a ghost entails.”

Looking up from under his lashes, Junhui asks, “And yet you still want to be with me?”

“Rather crazy, I admit, but they do say that love makes people crazy.” He shrugs.

Junhui stares at him with wide eyes, mind spinning. “You… love me?”

“Mm. What, did you think I just went around kissing any random ghost?” Junhui doesn’t even have the time to smile before he adds, “I only do that for the cute and hopeless ones.”

“Wonwoo!” Pushing the laughing boy away, Junhui turns around and smothers himself under the pillows.

A few seconds later, he bounces up a little from the force of Wonwoo falling onto the mattress. Strong arms wrap around him from behind and hold him close. A soft kissed is pressed to his nape, right where he knows a mole appears.

“Are you gonna give me your answer or not?” Wonwoo asks. If Junhui listens closely, he can discern a very tiny hint of insecurity in his otherwise smooth voice. The fact that he even has to ask is baffling to Junhui. Junhui is the one who should be worried. And he is.

“Are you sure about this? About… me? What if you find someone better one day? You’ve still got a long life ahead of you. You shouldn’t settle for less than what you deserve.”

Sighing, Wonwoo squeezes him a little tighter. “What makes you think that being with you means settling for less?”

Junhui falters.

They lay still for a moment, then Wonwoo vows, “I’m not just going to walk out on you like that, kitten.”

A million butterflies make his stomach flutter. A little more brave, he reaches for Wonwoo’s hand and laces their fingers together, then sets their hands over chest. During his entire existence as a ghost, he’s come to accept being alone as a given. After all, no one could see him. The only times his existence was known was during a haunting. And for the most part, he was fine with it. Being alone was just an aspect of his undead life.

Not until his encounter with Wonwoo has he ever felt lonely. Or rather, gotten a taste of it. He never really gets to be lonely for long because he always has something occupying his mind when Wonwoo isn’t home: either coming up with colorful ways to scare him or enjoying whatever activity Wonwoo left behind for him. He’s grown spoiled by Wonwoo’s care and company. He can hardly remember what he did with himself all those months and years without him.

Consequently, if he were forced to be separated from him now, Junhui doesn’t think he could bear the suffocating loneliness. More than all the monsters, Junhui is afraid of being left behind without anyone by his side.

“What’s gonna happen when you die?” he asks softly. “I’ll be all alone again.”

“Who says I’m going anywhere even after death?” Wonwoo replies instantly. Leaning down, he whispers, “Besides, who needs heaven if I can stay here?”

Junhui’s face burns, and along with it, all traces of his fears and insecurities.“You’re so cheesy, oh my god.” He slaps his hands over his eyes and rolls away. He doesn’t get very far, not when Wonwoo is still hugging him, but it helps him deal with the embarrassment.

Laughing, Wonwoo pokes at his sides, causing him to squeak and laugh despite himself. Once they’ve calmed down, Junhui turns to face him and extends his wrist.

“Okay. Let’s stay together forever.”

A breathtaking smile blooms on Wonwoo’s face. He’s smiling so wide, his nose scrunches adorably. Junhui giggles into their short kiss.

“Mine, forever,” Wonwoo says, grabbing the soul-binding string. He ties it around Junhui’s pinky, then hands him the other one for Junhui to do the same on Wonwoo’s finger. As the two hold hands, the string slowly fades away, then disappears altogether.

“Wow!” Junhui pulls their linked hands closer to inspect. Nothing is left. Amazing! “That’s all?”

“That’s it.”

“I wanna see something.” Standing up, Junhui walks to the window and stares at his hand under the sunlight. If he observes closely and shifts his hand just at the right angle, he can see a very faint trace of the silk surrounding his finger. “It’s like a magic wedding ring!” he laughs, wiggling his finger in the sun.

Quietly, Wonwoo joins in by the window and winds his arms around his waist, chin propped on his shoulder. He mumbles, “Actually, I forgot one more thing about the soul-binding ritual.”

“Hm?” Junhui turns a little to face him. “What?”

A glint flashes in the depth of Wonwoo’s eyes as a hint of a smirk appears on the corner of his mouth. He straightens up and whispers it to him.

Junhui feels like he’s just been set on fire. On instinct, he hides behind his hands, but the nod he gives Wonwoo is unmistakable.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

“I’m stuffed!” Junhui announces, smiling contently as he snuggles up to Wonwoo’s chest.

The latter’s fingers pause for a second, then continue to draw lazy patterns over Junhui’s skin. Wonwoo snorts a laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure you are, kitten.”

“Mm.” Still basking in the glow, it takes Junhui a few seconds to catch the double-entendre. His eyes snap open, and his cheeks heat up. “That’s not what I meant!” He hits him, but it doesn’t stop Wonwoo from laughing even harder. “I just mean that I feel full.”

“Yes, you mentioned it a few times earlier, too.”

With a repressed scream, Junhui dives under the sheets and curls up into a ball. “You’re awful,” he mutters.

Above him, Wonwoo gives his bum a couple light pats. “Am I really?”

Junhui lifts the blanket a couple inches to peek. Supporting his weight on an elbow, Wonwoo gazes down fondly at him. “No…” Ducking under the blanket again, he scoots over until he’s plastered over Wonwoo’s torso, limbs wrapped around him like a koala. “Love you,” he whispers in a tiny voice right above his heart.

Wonwoo chuckles, hugging him on top of the blanket and kissing the tuff of red hair that tickles his chin. “Love you, too.”

Happily, Junhui smiles.

“Alright, kitten.” He gives him a gentle pat. “Now that you’re fed, I need to eat, too.”

“Oh!” Poking his head out, Junhui finally notices how dark the sky looks outside the window. “You should have said something sooner!” He breaks out of his blanket fort and tugs on Wonwoo’s arm. “Quick! Get dressed and go eat something!”

Wonwoo chuckles, calming him down as he grabs his clothes. “I’m fine. I won’t die just from eating dinner late.” Flicking on the hallway lights, he heads for the kitchen.

Quickly, Junhui gets himself presentable, then shrinks down to a few inches. He hitches a ride on Wonwoo’s shoulder and watches him prepare ramen.

Wonwoo gives his tummy a little poke, grinning. “Not gonna take a swim in my noodles tonight?”

Junhui grabs his finger and pretends to bite it off. “Go ahead and make fun of me now. We’ll see how well you’ll do once you’re a ghost desperate for food, too. Then I’ll show you how it’s done—Whoa!”

In his excitement, Junhui almost falls off, but Wonwoo manages to catch him with one hand, while the other grabs a packet of ramen from the shelf.

“Yes,” Wonwoo says flatly. “You’ve really convinced me.”

Junhui bites his chin.

“You know, I’m actually amazed you managed to survive for this long. Just recalling your stunt with the washing machine is enough to give me a migraine.”

“That’s because you selected the extra spin cycle!”

“At any rate, I’ll be in charge of scaring people and feeding us.”

“Then what am I going to do?”

Gently squishing Junhui’s face between his thumb and index finger, he says, “Your job is to look pretty and love me. Think you can do that?”

Laughing, cheeks warm, Junhui nods. Once Wonwoo releases him, the bubbly ghost jumps down and returns to his full size to hug him. “We’ll be happy together forever!”

“Mm.” Wonwoo squeezes his hand. “Or until we get exorcized.”

“Wonwoo!”

He cackles.

⋆ ˚ ｡ ⋆ ୨୧ ˚*♥*˚ ୨୧ ⋆ ｡ ˚  ⋆

“As if I’d let anything happen to us. I promised you forever, and I always keep my promises.”

**Author's Note:**

> i know it's kinda morbid for wonhui to discuss wonu turning into a ghost, but hurray for true love? 😅😂 
> 
> but still, i hope you guys enjoyed the read and it made you laugh! it's pretty fast-paced in comparison to my usual fics, i think, but i think it got the job done as crack, right? 😂
> 
> thank you very much for reading! see you very soooooon!  
> xoxoxo


End file.
